


July/August tumblr drabbles

by Nutriyum_Addict



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Anxiety, Babies, Being Walked In On, Break Up, Brothers, Clothing, Confrontations, Conventions, Elves, F/M, Insomnia, Movie Night, Roleplay, Sneaking Around, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-07-27 16:05:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 6,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7625044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nutriyum_Addict/pseuds/Nutriyum_Addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Let's make a place for these...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rule 24

Deep down, Ben knows that this is a horrible idea. Well, most of Ben knows that–-his dick however, thinks it’s a great idea. And unfortunately, that’s the part of him that he’s letting call the shots up here in the third floor supply room.

Well and also Leslie seems pretty on board with everything, judging by the way she’s pressing back against him and reaching back to squeeze his ass enthusiastically. He’d squeeze her ass right back but currently one hand is in her hair and the other is sliding around down the front of her polka dot underpants.

One minute they were laughing and walking down the third floor’s deserted hallway discussing trail maintenance and the next, they were in a small, darkened room making out.

Because, here’s the thing–-over the last couple of weeks, Ben has discovered that when he’s around Leslie, he just wants to kiss her and smile at her and touch her and put his fingers all of the places he’d thought about putting them since the Harvest Festival–-probably even earlier than that, if he’s being honest with himself.

Like right now, he’s pushing a slick finger inside her when the door suddenly bursts open.

Ben feels his eyes widen and just as Leslie’s about to yell out in surprise, he thinks quickly and moves his hand from her hair to over her mouth and pulls her down with him, so they’re hidden by a half-filled book shelf.

When it’s turned on, the room’s one light bulb is fairly dim so he thinks they may have a shot at remaining undiscovered. At least he hopes they do. Because this? This is bad.

Yep, this was definitely a terrible idea, Ben thinks, as they crouch down and try to stay hidden. Like even worse than that time when he was eight and he and Henry had started the garage on fire trying to build a rocket.

“The extra phones are stored down here.”

“Ethel, if you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask.”

Ben’s eyes widen even more as Ethel Beavers and Tom Haverford walk into the small storage room.

He hears Leslie start to mumble quietly but frantically against his palm and he shushes her, increasing the pressure against her lips. He’s pretty sure she’s trying to tell him that they never, ever should have broken Rule 24 on _Leslie Knope’s List of Important Rules for Sneaky Secret Dating._

Rule 24: No pulling pants down at work.

Yeah. Right now, he definitely agrees with her there.

Both he and Leslie watch as Ethel continues to wear her patented _do not give a shit_ expression at Tom’s attempted charm.

“Phones are in those boxes. Pick one. Don’t pick one. Do what you want,” she shrugs and walks off.

“Great,” Tom mumbles. “I can use a phone that smells like butt or I can look through boxes that…” he pauses as he opens up the cardboard flaps. “Smell like butt.”

Through this whole situation, Ben has been conflicted.

He feels like he absolutely should not have his hand between the Deputy Directory of the Parks Department’s thighs while city employees are only a few feet away, but he also feels like just sliding his fingers away from her and leaving her pants-less and with her panties now pulled down mid-thigh is kind of weird too. Ben’s really not sure of the proper protocol here.

Maybe if he didn’t still have a hard-on pressed against her ass he could think better?

Leslie shifts a little and the movement causes his thumb to graze against her clit. They both freeze. And then, against every piece of good judgement he usually has, Ben rubs her lightly again, making her moan quietly against his hand.

Well, _fuck_.

They stay huddled down and watch Tom carefully look through a bunch of boxes for…Ben’s not even sure, some kind of designer phone? One that’s _baller_ and fashionable? Not that he really cares what Tom is doing right now, he’s much more interested in what he and Leslie are doing.

He’d never really thought of himself as an exhibitionist before, and really, it’s not so much the doing this with Tom in the room, as it is, not wanting to stop touching Leslie even if Tom is in the room.

And instead of pushing his hand away or sensibly moving away from him, she is currently grinding against him and good lord, this is such a bad, bad idea, because Leslie is normally so loud when she comes.

But also, there’s no way he wants to stop now. Not when he’s starting to thrust his hips forward and rub himself against her ass, and god damn, does that feel amazing even through his boxers.

Ben is just finding a good rhythm with his fingers, one that’s making her grind down against him and suck one of the fingers against her lip, when he loses his balance and they fall back in a heap on the floor, Ben on his ass and Leslie right between his legs, his cock pushed up against her butt.

“What was that?” Tom looks up from his current box and glances around the room.

Neither Ben or Leslie move and now, thankfully, he has the good sense to slide his hand away from her. He doesn’t think Tom can see them and thank god the man doesn’t really have an eye for detail–except when it comes to clothes.

Tom sighs and looks dejectedly back into the box. “This isn’t worth it. They’re all just beige anyway.”

When their intruder leaves and closes the door behind him, Ben finally lets out the breath he was holding and removes his hand from Leslie’s mouth, right as she spins to face him.

“Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh my god.” She wastes no time in freaking out.

“I know,” Ben agrees. “That was so–”

“Freaking amazing!” She practically yells at him.

“Wait…what?”

“I don’t know! Maybe it was the adrenaline rush from almost getting caught? Or the surprise of being walked in on? Or just that your fingers feel really good!”

Ben starts laughing, even as Leslie quickly frowns.

“Oh no,” she back pedals. “No. Wait. This was bad though. We should not have…I mean, that’s Rule 24 Ben,” she tells him seriously. “One of the most important rules.”

“It is. I know,” he agrees. “Sorry.”

They stare at each other for a few seconds, neither bothering to pull clothing back up, regardless of Rule 24′s importance.

“Well… we have already broken the rule,” her eyes sweep down towards the bulge in his boxers.

“Oh. Um, yeah, we have,” he grins.

“We might as well…” She trails off and then pushes him back, before quickly snuggling right up on top of him.

At least they’re still behind the bookcase, Ben thinks, as his fingers start moving on her again.


	2. The Unmistakable Powers of Joey B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Short fic inspired by Leslie & Ben watching Joe Biden's DNC speech?

Ben knows better than to try and talk to her right now, while her eyes are glued to the TV and she’s sitting on the edge of the couch, staring ahead intently.

Of course, he’s interested too and it’s a good speech, but he’s also just enjoying watching Leslie watch Vice President Joe Biden talk at the 2016 DNC Convention. She smiles, she laughs, she tears up, she nods her head.

She maybe moans once or twice?

But above all else, his wife just looks beautiful and enthralled and passionate and…he just really wants to kiss her.

“… _Come on. We’re America. Thank you_ ,” The Vice President says from the screen to thunderous applause.

“You okay?” It’s hard to keep the amusement out of his vice but he tries. A little.

Leslie nods and turns towards him on the couch, as Ben mutes the TV.

“That was amazing!”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “It was a good speech.”

“A good speech? Ben that was an awesome speech! And he looked so sexy. Didn’t he look sexy up there? The way he said... _malarkey_.”

“Um, sure. Yes. He did,” he says, moving even closer.

Much like Li’l Sebastian’s popularity, Ben doesn’t quite get his wife’s long-standing crush on the Vice President, but he’s willing to go along with it. Especially if it gets him some couch cuddles during the commercials.

“The babies are asleep,” she tells him, letting her hand wander up his thigh.

“They are,” Ben agrees with a smirk.

“Oh, and that part about _Americans have never, ever, ever, ever let their country down…_ ” she trails off, while she shifts around and straddles his lap quickly.

“So inspiring,” Ben adds, pulling her in for a kiss.

He may have a unity quilt with Joe Biden on it, but Ben also has a Leslie Knope in his lap, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.


	3. The Threshold

“You looked so handsome tonight. At the gala, at the wedding–well, both of our weddings. I’m glad the second one took.”

She’d always thought getting married would be a flashy, bigger than life event, with a dove release and white chocolate top hats, dancing until dawn, and then leaving for an exotic honeymoon right afterwards (but not before Vice President Joe Biden danced with her at the reception).

Maybe a fancy night in an over-priced hotel room.

But tonight? Tonight was everything Leslie never knew she wanted–meaningful, romantic, and quiet, with a few good friends in a place that she loves almost as much as her husband. Instead of a lot of dancing and balloons and a live band, they had waffles and champagne and scotch and Li’l Sebastian singalongs.

Aside from her mom being out of town, it was perfect.

Ben opens their front door and turns to her. “You looked so beautiful all night. When you were walking towards me at City Hall and we knew it was really happening, I think my heart stopped.”

Leslie frowns. “Oh. That’s not good.”

“Well, not literally, goofball.”

They smile and share a kiss on the doorstep.

“Okay, you ready, babe?”

“For what?” The awesome wedding night sex? Yeah, Leslie thinks with a grin, she’s super ready for that.

“For this. I am going to carry you over the threshold,” Ben responds, bending a bit to get his arm around the backs of her thighs.

“You–oh!” She’s up in his arms and giggling before she can even finish her sentence.

“I mean, I know it’s a little cheesy and I don't mean anything sexist by it,” he insists, as Leslie uses her foot to push the door all the way open, and they go inside. “But I just really wanted to carry you, my wife, inside. After we got married.”

“For all the awesome wedding night sex?”

“Yep,” Ben confirms, giving her a sexy smile. “Exactly.”


	4. The Andy Dwyer School of Confrontation

Ben is being all quiet and terse and giving her one word answers and insisting that he isn’t mad, while also looking like he wants to jump out of the limo and run away to avoid her attempts at conversation completely.

Of course, she knows that he’s mad and now he’s just sitting here in the back of Tom’s ridiculous hot tub limo making everyone uncomfortable while they (very) slowly make their way to Indianapolis, and nope…this is not how this is happening. The long drive is going to be unbearable if he keeps giving her the cold shoulder.

If he’s upset, they’re going to talk about it. Hell, she’s upset and Leslie definitely wants to talk about it and get it all out.

“Come on,” she reaches for his hand and says a silent thanks when he takes it easily.

“What?” Ben asks, trying to not look too annoyed.

She stands up–-well, kind of stands up, and leads him, hunched over, to the other end of the limo’s backseat.

“You’re mad,” she tells him, as they sit down.

“I’m not mad,” Ben shoots back unconvincingly.

Leslie sighs and glances at Ann and Tom, before deciding that she doesn’t really care if they’re watching. She practically jumps on Ben, aggressively climbs into his lap, and repeats her words.

“Hey! I’m not–”

“You are,” she insists. “And I’m not moving until you admit–”

He still looks a bit incredulous at her actions, but that doesn’t stop him from cutting her off. “What is this? Did you go to the Andy Dwyer School of Confrontation? I’m not–”

“Yes you are. You’re mad. You’re mad, Ben. You are. I know you are. You are. You–”

“Alright! Fine! I’m mad!”

Leslie nods victoriously. She knew he was mad. Check and mate.

“Thank you. And I’m mad at you too!” As she says it, she lightly punches him in the arm, which results in a few _oooohs_ from their audience at the other end of the limo.

“What? Why? Why are you mad at me? You’re the one that went out and then didn’t tell me you were too drunk to do an interview!”

“I didn’t tell you because you made me feel like I couldn’t…like I would be disappointing you.”

Ben’s expression softens a little at her admission. “What does that mean?”

Leslie takes a breath and then studies his face and just lets the words come out of her. “The last couple of weeks, you’ve been so wound up and focused and strict, like a fascist hard-ass MILF walking around in cardigans and tight pants. It’s been a very confusing time for me.”

Crap. That’s probably off-message a little bit, she thinks. And yep, now Ben is looking even more confused as his hands re-grip on her hips slightly.

“Um, okay.”

“What I mean is…I want my sweet, dorky boyfriend back, in addition to my no-nonsense campaign manager. You’re brilliant and smart and focused and I love that about you, but we have to have time for fun too.”

Ben sighs and runs his hands along her hips as she stays straddled in his lap. And really, this is probably the most pleasant fight she’s ever had with anyone.

“I understand that. I do. But we also need to take this seriously.”

Now Leslie rears back a little bit and puts her hands on her hips, pushing Ben’s out of the way. “Do you really think I’m not taking this seriously?!”

“No. No. Of course you are,” Ben sighs before giving her an apologetic look. “This is your dream and I don’t want to be the thing that ruins it for you. So I’m trying to do everything right. And…maybe I am being a little too wound up and hard-assed about it.”

“You’re not going to ruin it for me,” Leslie assures him, before leaning in for a kiss. “You’re helping my dream come true.”

“Alright. Good. I’m sorry I’ve been no fun lately.”

The way he’s smiling at her makes Leslie feel all warm inside. She gives him a smile as he tugs her closer. _Mmmmmmm…fun Ben_.

“And I’m sorry I had a jumbo margarita and some flaming tequila shots before I did a TV interview.”

“Yeah, that was not a good plan,” Ben agrees, smirking just a bit. “That was probably too much fun.”

“I know. I figured that out when I started burping during the interview. But Ben, don’t try to lie to me about being mad. We’re in a relationship. We’re going to do things sometimes that upset each other. We need to talk about it.”

“You’re right. I know. My parents just…they were really bad role models for this stuff. They would bottle everything up and be snarky and passive-aggressive and–”

“My parents would fight occasionally,” she interrupts. “Not a lot but there would be some yelling, never anything mean, but just some very heated discussions. And then they would go close their bedroom door and make up.”

“Ew,” Ben says, while Leslie shudders in agreement.

“Ew.”

“That is pretty gross,” Tom yells from the other end of the limo. “Although, Marlene seems like she would be…” He trails off as Ann, Ben, and Leslie all make disgusted faces.

“Dude. Not cool,” Ann remarks, moving away from Tom just a bit, as Leslie snuggles closer to Ben.

It’s a long drive to Indy, Leslie thinks, but now it doesn’t seem quite so unbearable.


	5. Ben's Movie Talks

“Dad!” Eight year old Stephen shouted out with obvious exasperation, while his brother nodded vigorously beside him.

“Alright, alright. We can start _Back to the Future_ now, I just want to add that I was only a little older than all of you, when I saw it for the first time,” Ben said, sounding very nostalgic from his spot blocking the TV from view.

“Daddy, come on!” Wes pleaded next, as Leslie tried not to laugh at her children’s impatience for the start of movie night.

“Oh, I like daddy’s pre-movie talks,” Sonia said with a smile, then added, “they’re silly.”

“Um, thank you honey,” Ben responded and then held his hands up. “Okay. The last thought I want to leave you with is this: be sure to pay close attention to the mall at the beginning and the end of the movie.”

The kids nodded enthusiastically and high-fived as Ben started walking back towards the couch.

“Come on babe, start it,” Leslie requested with a grin, handing the big bowl of popcorn over to Wes.

“You too?” Ben made a face and hit play on the remote, sitting down on the sofa next to his wife.

Leslie leaned in close and whispered, “Nah. I like your movie talks too, I just wanted you to speed it up so we could kiss while they watch the movie.”


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: love

“Love daddy!”

Ben smiled and looked down as two year old Stephen enthusiastically hugged him around his legs. The other kids were still in the backyard with Leslie and Marlene and it was just him and his son right now.

Stephen had wanted to follow Ben inside the house to get more ice, which had turned into his small son cuddling into him with obvious affection.

Then Ben watched as Stephen let go and toddled over to the cushioned sofa a few feet away, threw his little arms around it, and proclaimed, “love couch!”


	7. Push

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: push.

He put his hands on her back, right below her shoulder blades and pushed gently, watching as she went forward.

“You call that a push? Come on! Let’s give this swing a real work out,” Leslie commanded.

Ben laughed and when she swung back to him the next time, he pushed harder, and then backed up a bit and watched as Leslie pumped her legs to quickly gain speed and height.

She had talked him into an afternoon fieldtrip to Harvey James Park to see the new playground swing set and of course Ben couldn’t say no. Of course he wanted to go and see the new equipment that he had approved the budget for.

Of course he wanted to spend some time alone with her and talk and laugh and even push her on a park swing.

He might not be able to date Leslie Knope, but he could do this.


	8. Coy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: coy

“You’re so sexy when you’re being coy,” Leslie tells him, and then watches as Ben’s nose crinkles and he makes his confused face.

“How am I being coy right _now_? Um, I’m actually inside you.”

They share a smiley kiss until Leslie starts laughing against his lips, as he stills his hips and watches her giggle.

“Not now, last month. When you called my hands _paws_ and got all flustered and pretended like you had no idea how sexy you were being.”

“Oh, that,” Ben responds, clearly amused and then thrusting deep inside her again as she angles her hips up.

He feels so good on top of her and she’s not even anxious to rush to the end yet.

Ben leans down closer for another kiss, their bellies touching as he starts moving. They’d only been secret-dating for about two weeks now, but Leslie is already seeing how it lasting a long time can be pretty awesome.


	9. Climb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: climb

Leslie’s tossing and turning in Ben’s familiar bed, sighing loudly and wiggling one foot erratically under the covers when he suddenly says, “Babe, you need to try and get some sleep.”

He doesn’t sound mad or even that annoyed, just really tired.

“Sleep? _Sleep_? In four hours I’m going to be at JJ’s eating breakfast and then an hour after that, when the polls open, I’m going to be voting. For myself, Ben. I’m voting for myself. And this isn’t some high school election or a campaign against my stuffed animals, this is the City Council! This is–”

He makes her stop talking by quickly pressing his lips to hers and she almost, almost feels more calm.

“You are really climbing the walls here.”

Leslie nods her agreement as they stare at each other practically nose to nose.

“I am. I am. I think I’m having a nervous breakdown.”

Her brain is going a million miles a minute and she’s a bundle of nerves. Maybe she should get dressed and go on a power walk around the neighborhood? She did take Ron's self-defense class last year and she has pepper spray for the raccoons. 

“It’s two AM,” Ben tells her sitting up a bit, as he tries to hide his yawn from her. “I know it’s hard and that you’re anxious, but please try to relax. I’m worried about you.”

She takes a deep breath in through her nose and lets it out of her mouth in a long stream, just like Ann taught her to do when she gets all worked up about something.

“Okay,” Leslie says after, using her calm voice.

Ben maneuvers her on her side and cuddles up behind her. “Alright. That’s good. Breathe slowly like that again.”

She does, as his hand slowly works its way up her t-shirt and rests just under her breast, his bare arm pressing lightly near the bottom of her rib cage.

“Again.”

She takes a slow inhale of breath along with her boyfriend, followed by both of their slow exhales. Leslie spends the next minute just breathing in sync with Ben and soon she can feel her heartbeat slowing down and her eyelids getting heavy.

“Close your eyes,” Ben whispers.

She does.


	10. Bubbles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: bubbles

“Bubbles!”

“Bubbles!”

“Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!”

He was thoroughly soaked. Leslie was soaked too, but didn’t seem to mind as she blew extra bubbles from a bottle. Their two-and-a-half year old triplets screamed and laughed and yelled out, BUBBLES!, as the bubbles floated over the tub and popped when they touched the bubbles in the tub.

Really, there were just a lot of fucking bubbles.

And Ben was pretty sure there was currently more water outside of the tub than there was in it. Regardless, he was happy, so happy that he could barely remember a time when he and Leslie were broken up and he’d taken his own frequent sadness baths.

“Daddy tub too!” Sonia yelled out, before dissolving into giggles as Leslie rinsed their daughter’s blonde hair one more time.

“There’s no room for daddy in the tub, honey.”

Stephen started getting antsy, so Ben grabbed a big, fluffy towel and lifted his son out of the tub, drying the little boy off just as Wes started splashing his arms into the remaining bathwater, sending more suds flying everywhere.

“This looks pretty fun,”Leslie told him with a wink, unplugging the drain and reaching for Wesley. “What do you say we get them all into their pajamas and tucked into bed and then we take a bath?”

Actually, Ben thought that was a great idea.


	11. Ben the Elf King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very ridiculous fic prompt: Season 7 Ben IMO looks the most like an elf king out of all the seasons. Does Leslie put something in his food the way he sneaks vegetables into her waffles? Or maybe fatherhood made him more elfin? It's like the longer he's married to Leslie, the more he resembles an elf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some liberties with the prompt and made it super silly :)

Even though he’s half-elf, Ben Wyatt is not a huge fan of nature.

Sure, parks are nice and all, and since falling in love with the Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Pawnee, he’s gained a deeper appreciation of the outdoors, but he’s still most comfortable inside–with a laptop and air conditioning, indoor plumbing and a bed.

This is why he finds being an Elf King much easier now that there’s the internet.

He can do most of his ruling online.

* * * *

Ben had told Leslie about his true origins back during her City Council campaign. Of course, at that time he was just an Elf Prince and he wasn’t quite sure she believed him, but the next day she’d teasingly called him a sex elf king.

When they’d finished working for the day and were getting ready for bed, he’d brought it up again.

“You know I’m not a king, right? It’s just a prince. An elf prince.”

Leslie grinned. “Right. But you’re the sexiest elf prince in the whole world,” she said, moving closer to capture his lips with hers.

They kissed for a few minutes and Ben decided that Leslie thinking he was the sexiest anything in the whole world was alright with him.

But still, he’d wanted to tell her about it.

“My real father is the Elf King. He, um, from what I understand, kind of sweet-talked my mother during a camping trip with my dad. I think they were trying to save their marriage or something and, um, while my dad was out looking for firewood, my mom kind of…”

“Did it with an elf king?”

“Yeah,” Ben nodded, but then he frowned. “Wait, you actually believe me?”

“I do,” Leslie had assured him. “But why don’t you have cute pointy ears?”

She pushed his dark hair out of the way and ran her tongue along the rounded top ridge of his left ear.

“That’s not…” he trailed off, holding in a laugh at her ear licking and sucking–it tickled. “That’s not a real thing.”

Which is too bad, he thought, pointy ears would be really cool.

Mainly, Ben’s elven features included a taut, narrow frame and due to his royal genes, a desire to lead and govern. But, as he learned at a young age, governing people (and elves) was somewhat complicated.

Oh, and he could also communicate with animals.

He tried to keep that to a minimum though, mainly reserving this skill for asking Champion politely not to sleep on his bed when Ben wasn’t around. He and his roommates’ dog had a fairly friendly relationship, ever since Ben first said hi to the three-legged animal in the living room during their initial meeting, when April and Andy had brought him home from the shelter.

Champion always thought it was nice that Ben had inquired about the timeline of his missing leg.

“Well, I still believe you, even with these normal ears,” Leslie said now. “You’re my sexy elf prince.”

Ben just grinned and gave her butt a squeeze.

* * * *

It’s when the triplets are just a year old, that Ben’s real father, the elf king dies.

There’s a funeral in the Minnesota forest by his childhood home and Ben goes alone to pay his respects. He would have brought Leslie and the babies, but he’s not quite sure if that’s a good idea.

It’s not like he’s really in touch with his half-elf roots. Sure, he gets the email newsletter and he votes by proxy on any pressing issues in the kingdom, but that’s about it.

During this visit to the forest, he gets a gold crown to wear but it’s decided that his uncle, the king’s brother will handle the day to day ruling and Ben will only be required to attend the occasional function.

Ben also learns that it’s a real possibility that one of the triplets might have inherited some of his elf traits. He spends the night in an invisible, magic tent under the stars and dreams about Leslie, Stephen, Wesley, and Sonia back home.

He wakes up remembering that one strange morning when Wes was a baby and a monarch butterfly landed on his son’s small head and whispered, _prince_.

* * * *

Over the next year, Ben’s taut, narrow frame gets even more angular and elfish, and in addition to the e-newsletter, a sparrow named Tidbit starts visiting regularly with news and updates of the elf kingdom in Minnesota.

During the bird’s first trip to Pawnee, when they have five birdhouses to offer their guest for a choice for overnight accommodations, it takes Leslie over an hour to stop cackling and gloating about it.


	12. Ben the Elf King (Bonus Scene)

Ben looked around the fairgrounds and made sure no one else could really see or hear him and then he leaned down.

“So, tell me the truth, you’re just a pony, right?”

Li’l Sebastian looked up at the intrusion. “What? Me? No, I’m a mini-horse.”

“Right. A pony. I just…can I be honest with you? I don’t get what the big deal is.”

The small animal scuffed the dirt of his pen at the Harvest Festival a few times before responding, “I received my honorary degree from Notre Dame University. Do you have an honorary degree from Notre Dame?”

“No,” Ben responded slowly. “I have a real degree from Carleton College.”

Li’l Sebastian rolled his old cataract-filled mini-horse eyes. “I’ve also sired over 200 mini-horse children. How many offspring do you have?”

“Um…well, I haven’t really met the right wo–”

“Pffft. I don’t see what the big deal is about you,” Li’l Sebastian told him dismissively.

Ben made a confused face and then shrugged, before he walked over to where Leslie was standing by the cotton candy machine.

When she smiled at him, he forgot all about the pony’s insult.


	13. Date Night (or Tom gives Ben Wardrobe Advice)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben thought he was ready for his date with Leslie, Tom thought he needed some wardrobe help.

Tom had stopped by Knope 2012 campaign headquarters on some important image consultant and swagger coach business–at least, that’s what he’d insisted it was. But, after a fifteen minute conversation about pocket squares and how Leslie’s shoe choices as of late were not very _baller_ , Ben was ready to move on from this meeting.

“Hey, um, actually, Leslie and I are going out to dinner soon,” Ben interrupted, and then added, “We have plans to enjoy a night out without focusing on the campaign. So…”

So, he should really leave for City Hall and pick her up.

Tom nodded. “Nerd date night. I get it. What are you wearing?”

Ben frowned at the question and glanced down at his plaid shirt. “Um, this?”

“You can’t go out on a special date with your boo dressed like… _that_. Haven’t you been listening at all? You look like an accountant,” Tom scoffed.

“I am an–”

“Come on,” he said, turning and walking towards Ben’s room.

“What?”

“I’m doing you a favor. You’ve got to have something that won’t land you on the _oh-no-no_ list”

After ten minutes of Tom complaining about how Ben should, “soak his whole closet in bleach and burn it,” he finally ended up in a different button up shirt (plain, crisp white) and a black suit jacket.

Okay, fine. It did look nice.

Ben was just about to grab a red and blue striped tie when Tom stopped him. “No. Hold up. You can’t wear that.”

“I can’t?”

* * * *

He felt pretty ridiculous.

To her credit, he’d only caught Leslie laughing once so far.

“So…new look?” She asked finally, and then cackled into her glass of wine.

“Alright, alright. Yes. Go ahead.” He was laughing now too and it honestly felt pretty good to not be thinking about polling numbers or talking points, even if it was at his expense.

“You’re wearing an ascot.”

Ben nodded and recited the details of which he was very familiar. “I am. It’s a _Pompeo silk ascot hand tailored by Ceravelo_. Whoever that is.”

She gaped at him. “How did this happen?“

"Well, Tom stopped by and thought my outfit needed some work. For our date tonight.”

Leslie’s face relaxed and she chortled before taking a bite of her salad. “Awww, that’s actually kind of sweet.”

“Is it?” He wondered how sweet she would think Tom’s opinion of her shoes was.

"Yeah. He wanted you to look all fancy for me,” Leslie said, as she considered him from across the table. “It is kind of mysterious. Oh! Like a 19th century titan of industry, out for a fancy meal with his lady friend. Maybe we have a rivalry that’s filled with passion and sexual tension.”

“Oh yeah?” Ben grinned and Leslie gave him a suggestive smile.

He still thought the ascot looked ridiculous (he felt a bit like Mr. Furley from _Three's Company)_ and Ben was also still having trouble comprehending everything he saw during that fifteen minutes at Tom’s apartment–-(Moccasin slippers waiting at every doorway? An apothecary jar full of fortune cookies? A bottle of bubbly chilling in a Champagne bucket in the living room?)

Well, okay to be fair, he’d had a glass of champagne and some brie on a cracker from the cheese plate while Tom surveyed his massive closet for the grey silk material now currently around Ben’s neck.

Leslie nodded in his direction. “It’s sexy.”

Ben felt her foot slide up his calf under the table. He raised an eyebrow.

Alright. Maybe he could rock an ascot during their date night.

* * * *

Later, as it turned out, the ascot came in handy.

The distinctive fashion statement went with the scenario they had decided on but, they’d also discovered that it was a little tricky to get undone. Especially when he was busy kissing Leslie and working her clothes off.

And then, well…

Really, Ben wasn’t sure he should give the ascot back at this point. Maybe if he got it dry cleaned?

He glanced around the bed and frowned.

“Hey, have you seen–”

“The ascot? Huh. After you tied Miranda von Smashington up with it to try and convince her to sell her shares in the sconce factory to you, I think it…” Leslie trailed off and reached down, feeling under the covers.

She made a face. “Oops.”

“Oops?” Ben asked and then watched as she pulled it out from under his plaid comforter.

It had definitely seen better days.

“I was kind of on top of it.”

“Oh,” Ben’s eyes widened a little. “Did we, uh end up… _on it_?”

Leslie nodded. “Yeah. I think so,” she paused and then added, “Tom’s ascot has seen some things.”

“Yeah. Okay. This is okay. I’ll just buy him a new one,” Ben decided, pulling her closer.

Besides, he thought, how much could a hand tailored silk ascot actually cost?


	14. Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While he and Leslie are broken up, Ben visits Henry in Chicago.

“Doesn’t she look like a Georgia?”

Ben examines the small and contented baby in his arms. He’s not quite sure what a _Georgia_ should look like, but he nods his agreement to Henry anyway.

She is perfect and if Georgia is her name, well then, she looks like a Georgia to Ben.

“Actually,” his brother continues, “You should have seen her when she first came out. Her head was smooshed a little…it was kind of shaped like the state.”

“Don’t listen to your dad,” Ben whispers to his niece. “You don’t have a misshapen head.”

Henry snorts and makes a face like he finds Ben’s words hysterical. “Well, not anymore. It kind of…normalized into a regular baby-head.”

Ben starts laughing too. Maybe the sleep deprivation is getting to him as well? He’s only been staying with Henry and Meghan in their Oak Park condo for two days and he’s nowhere near as tired as they are, but he’s definitely starting to feel it.

Three-month old Georgia is amazing and beautiful, but good lord does she have a set of lungs on her.

His niece looks up at him with clear blue baby eyes and yawns.

“Oh my god.”

“What?” Henry asks, sitting down next to Ben on the couch.

“She yawned. It was so cute! I didn’t know she could do that.”

“Oh, I know. That is completely adorable. I mean…well, everything she does is adorable, but especially that,” Henry pauses thoughtfully, then grins. “You’ll see.”

Ben sighs and kind of rolls his eyes.

He thought getting out of Pawnee for a few days would be better but it’s actually not.

If anything, Leslie’s been invading his thoughts even more than when he’s home. The only difference is that while he’s here in Chicago, there’s slightly less of a chance that she’ll come by and try to force him into a conversation .

“What?”

Ben shakes his head. “You know.”

Henry blinks and looks at Ben blankly, but then his eyes widen. “Ohhhhhhh, right. Sorry, bro. Yeah. That sucks.”

“Yeah,” Ben agrees. “It does.”

They sit quietly for a few minutes and watch Georgia sleep in Ben’s arms.

“Wait,” Henry whispers. “Were you going to have a baby with Leslie?”

“What?” Ben turns his head to look at his brother.

“What? You were the one who brought it up when I said _you’d see when you had one_. So…what does that mean?”

What does that mean? Ben thinks.

Well, it means that being around a baby makes him think about his ex-girlfriend and what could have been. It means he can easily imagine a daughter of his own with tiny little fingers and a wonderful, misshapen head at first. Ben can also imagine he and Leslie deciding on the perfect name and…

And that’s totally ridiculous because he and Leslie had only dated for three months.

“It means that…I’m tired,” Ben responds finally.

Henry gives him a small, sympathetic smile. “You know, if the reason you had to break up was because she’s running for office, can’t you just start dating again after she wins? I mean, you obviously like her and she likes you and you should just go for it,” his brother pauses. “Life, you know?”

“It’s complicated,” Ben says.

Because even if they do try that, he’s still her boss, but then Leslie is on the City Council and she’s sleeping with her boss–in addition to just being a government employee who’s sleeping with her boss.

He’s about to explain that to his exhausted and suddenly hippie-ish brother, when Georgia picks that exact moment to open her eyes and start crying, just as the smell from her diaper hits the two adults in the room.

“Oh… _dude_ ,” Ben says, eyes widening in shock.

“Yep,” Henry agrees, making the same face. “That part is not super adorable. Here I’ll change her. Come on Georgia, your Uncle Ben is a complicated guy.”


End file.
